Breathing like a race horse!

Over the years we have seen all manor of different gadgets and gizmos being used throughout the pro peloton in attempt to better their competition and find that small edge that maybe the difference between winning and loosing. In todays modern world of marginal gains and a hopefully cleaner peloton are there any devices out there that can truly make a difference?

As we excise and ride our bikes many concentrate on training, pushing our bodies further and further until that burn in our legs and lungs becomes too much, preventing us from going any further. One of the most important things we do in life let alone exercise is to breath and that is often overlooked.

Back in the 90’s and early 00’s a few top cyclists started using those funny stick on nose strips which were meant to open up your nasal cavities and help you breathe more freely. They are often used by people suffering from sleep apnea or to help prevent snoring. Jan Ulrich and Alberto Contador were often seen with these funny looking strips across their noses but they seem to have gone out of fashion more recently.

At last years Tour de France Chris Froome had a funny looking yellow clip up his nose, but what was it? It’s called a TURBINE and is a new device from RHINOMED designed to open up your nasal cavities. It provides up to 38% more air, which could increase your breathing efficiency. Its a small plastic clip with two adjustable rings that hold your nostrils open. You simply slide the TURBINE up into each nostril until it sits comfortably with the clip up against the bridge of your nose. The only way I can describe it is that it feels like your nostrils are flaring permanently as if your snorting like a race horse. The TURBINE comes in a starter pack with three different sizes so you can get the one that fits right for your nose. They recommend using each TURBINE for up to ten times and then replacing with a new one. I suspect if you keep one clean and sanitised it would last far more than that though.

But does the TURBINE work? I have been riding on and off with them now for the last few months and have noticed some interesting things. Firstly the TURBINE takes a bit of getting used to, they are not painful to wear but can be bit uncomfortable at first until you get used to them. as you start to ride and breath harder you really can feel the cold air rushing up and down your nostrils but I’m not convinced they make me ride any better at lower intensities. The real difference seems to be when I start riding at threshold and above. Im able to keep breathing through my nose calmly and for longer before my breathing becomes laboured and erratic, forcing me to start gasping and sucking air through my mouth. I’ve no idea if this makes me ride any faster I guess time will tell but so far I’m impressed enough to keep using them for harder efforts. Long rides of 3-4 hours plus take a while to get used to though. I find my nose tends to run and drip like a tap in cold weather and the TURBINE’s don’t seem to help.

So if your looking to try something new that may give the edge and look like Chris Froome as bonus then the TURBINE is definitely worth a go and wont break the bank!